Build Safe UAE urges firms to practice high rise rescues

The Build Safe UAE weekly alert (57) outlined two best safety practices as well as recommended that companies must conduct rescue from height exercises to familiarise employees with falls on construction sites.

In a best practice alert from Halcrow, the consultancy outlined a solution evolved on site at the Khorfakkan port expansion project on the UAE's east coast, Athena SA are the principal contractors working on the project.

As part of the works, existing concrete armour units were removed from the sea and stored in a separate area within the site.

"However, it was recognised that these armour units could be put to good use," said the Halcrow alert.

The road leading from the site office to the working area runs over a hill with a precipitous edge and a steep drop on one side and a high slope on the other, it said.

"By placing the armour units along each side of the road, the project team was able to provide substantial physical protection against the dual risks of persons and vehicles falling over the edge and of loose rocks dropping onto the road. This also demonstrates good environmental practice in that waste arising from the works has been effectively re-used," said Halcrow.

Meanwhile, the Dutco Balfour Beatty (DBB) team responsible for RAK Bank Operations Centre project at Dubai Silicon Oasis said it faced huge challenges in maintaining a safety record given its difficult location.

The location of the site with two sides of the plot adjacent to busy roads, a third side adjacent to a construction plot and the fourth side next to residential villas made safety a real challenge.

But despite these challenges, the DBB team was able to maintain the highest standards of safety in line with Dubai Silicon Oasis Regulations and its efforts have been recognised and awarded with a safety certificate of appreciation by the Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority.

BSU additionally looked at two different fall incidents. In one incident, an employee fainted while erecting scaffolding under the dellar deck of the wellhead platform. As a result, he fell and was found suspended by the safety harness and unresponsive. The rescue team members were unclear on the rescue procedures and, to add to it, there was no rescue equipment on site.

Investigations revealed that though the employee had a pre-diagnosed medical condition, he went to work. Though he told his co-worker that he felt dizzy, it was not reported to the medic or the contract supervisor.

BSU urged the industry to watch co-workers and stop them from tasks if they seem physically unfit for work. It also said fall harness, fall rescue plans and equipment are required for working at height and that personnel involved in such operations must receive adequate training. It recommended that companies must conduct rescue from height exercises.

In another incident, whilst positioning a 12 inch pipe for welding in the top tier of the main pipe rack, a pipe fitter fell approximately 10 mt when he stepped into a temporary opening cut into both the boards and the handrails of the scaffolding. The employee was wearing a safety harness at the time but it was not tied on and he was fatally injured. BSU noted that the employee, while aware of the scaffold conditions and despite having been issued and wearing a harness, failed to anchor himself to a suitable "tie off" point.

 

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